Bung.



Patented Oct. 3, I899.

J C 0 N B A D B U N G (Application filed Feb. 10, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WITNESS S JACOB CONRAD, OF CHIOAGO,ILLINOIS, ASSI GNOR TO HIMSELF AND LEVIS J. DEIBEL, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,394, dated October 3, 1899.

Application filed February 10, 1899. Serial No. 705,183. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB CONRAD, of Ohicago, in the county of Cook and'State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Bung, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bung which is simple and durable in construction, readily applied and secured to a barrel, keg, or other vessel on which it is to be used with or without a bushing, the bung being arranged to prevent leakage at the bung-hole, and is not liable to open accidentally or be opened by unauthorized persons while the keg, barre], or other vessel is in transit or storage.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claim.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate cor responding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the same witha rubber gasket drawn into active position. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the screw with the key applied. Fig. at is an inverted plan view of the bungcasing. Fig. 5 is aside elevation of the key for turning the screw, and Fig. 6 is a sectional side-elevation of the improvement as applied to kegs with thick staves.

The improved bung is provided with a cylindrical casing A, adapted to fit loosely into the bung-hole B in a stave of a barrel, keg, or other vessel B on which the bung is to be used. On the upper end of the casing is formed an annular flange A, having radial ribs A at its under side for engaging the wood of the stave to prevent the bung-casing from turning in the bung-hole. The bung-casing is provided at its inside with screw-threads A engaged by external screw-threads O of a screw 0, supporting at its closed bottom a rivet D, carrying a presser-plate E, adapted to engage a rubber gasket F, placed between said presser-plate and the lower rounded-off end A of the casing A.

On the inside of the screw 0, which is made hollow for the purpose, are formed verticallydisposed ribs 0 one of which is adapted to be engaged at a time by a lug G, projecting radially from the lower end G of a key G, having a shoulder G near the lower end to rest on the top of the screw 0 at the time the projection G engages one of the ribs and the lower end G fits in the top opening of the screw 0.

When the several parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the screw O is in a lowermost position and the rubber gasket is contracted to a normal natural position and interposed between the presser-plate E and the lower end of the casing, said rubber gasket surrounding the reduced end C of the screw, and which reduced end projects through the bottom opening of the casing. When the several parts of the bong are in this position, the bung can be readily inserted into the bung-hole, with the flange A engaging the outer end of the stave around the bung-hole,

as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

When it is desired to close the bung-hole and to securely fasten the bung in place on the stave, the operator applies the key G by first passing the lug G down into the opening of the screw between adjacent ribs 0 by holding the key in an inclined position, and then .upon swinging the key into a vertical central position the rounded end G2 of the key passes into the opening, the shoulder G resting on the top edge of the screw. The oper ator now turns the key so as to engage the projection G with one of the ribs O and upon a further turning of the key the screw is screwed outward in the casing A, and in doing so the presser-plate E forces the rubber gasket F up on the rounded lower end A of the casing to finally spread the gasket against the under side of the stave around the bung-hole at the lower end of the casing and securely hold the bung in place and to form a very tight. joint between the casing and the stave at the bung-hole. (See Fig. 2.) In case the keg or barrel is formed of thick staves, as shown in Fig 0, then the gasket is lirmly pressed in contact with the wall of the bung-hole to hold the bung in place and to form a very tight joint to prevent leakage at the bung-hole.

It is evident that when the several parts are in the position shown in Figs. 2 and (5 the bung is securely fastened in place, is not liable to become loose, and prevents all leakage, owing to the tight joint formed by the rubber gasket at the bung-hole. It is understood that after the bung is secured in place, as described, and shown in Figs. 9 and G, the key is removed from the screw, the key being used for closing or opening a large number of barrels provided with the improved bung.

Then it is desired to open a keg and remove the bung, the operator again applies the key on the screw, as described, and then turns the latter in an opposite direction-that is, screws it downward in the casingto allow the rubber gasket to contract to its forsurrounding the inner portion of the screw mer position by its own resiliency until the diameter of the gasket is somewhat less than the diameter of the bung-hole I), as shown in Fig. 1. The bung can then be lifted off its seat on the stave.

In case the rubber gasket F is worn out or injured it can be readily replaced by a new one by springing the gasket over the presserplate B.

The device is very simple and durable in construction, not liable to getout of order, and. the screw C is not liable to be turned by unauthorized persons unless they are in possession of a key formed as shown and described.

The bung may be used on barrels having bushings; but it is expressly understood that such bushings are not essential so far as the workings of the bung are concerned.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A bung-closure, having a cylindrical casing adapted to lit loosely in the bung-hole and having internal threads thereon, a hollow screw fitting in the casing and working with the threads thereof, the screw having inwardlyextendcd ribs running longitudinally therewith and adapted to be engaged by a key, the inner end of the screw projecting beyond the casing, a rivet fitting loosely in the inner end of the screw, a presser-plate carried by the rivet, and a yielding annular gasket loosely and casing and engaged by the outer face of the presser-plate, so that as the screw is drawn into the casing the gasket is expanded to close the bunghole.

JACOB CONRAD.

Vitnesses:

FRED SEIPEL, FREDERICK EDWARD Non. 

